HetaCapitols - If We Lived in the Oni World
by Musicstarnc
Summary: Tokyo and her friends London and Rome aren't expecting to be trapped in a creepy mansion with a Tony look-alike. But then again, what else is new in their lives? Now the clock is ticking both forward and backwards as they have to escape with everyone or die trying!
1. Chapter 1

**Originally a HetaCapitolsxAoOni crossover fic. (couldn't find AoOni or HetaOni) It kind of follows the HetaOni storyline but with the capitols. As it goes on it spirals very far from the storyline.**

If we lived in the Oni world...

"It's really here!" Exclaimed Rome, looking animatedly at the mansion. It was old, creepy and we had heard so many rumors of people entering this mansion and never coming out. People even believed that a monster lived there. Of course it was just a rumor and I wasn't scared at all.

"G-guys, C-c-can we p-please go home? E-even Tokyo is s-shaking" London stuttered poining at me with one hand and pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with the other.

"London. Shut up. Just please, shut up" I said, ready to slap her. _Damn, how did she know I was scared! _

"Let's go in!~" Rome said starting for the door and then she opened it. We all followed her inside. Well I had to drag London in but we entered the house. The door shut behind us with a eerie, creaking noise. That should have warned me.

The house was very clean, there wasn't even a speck of dust. The floor was wood and there was a hallway leading up and a hallway leading to our left and our right. There was a set of stairs by the right hallway.

"Yay, we went in. We're brave. Can we go home now?" London asked.

"Okay, fine we'll go ho-" I started to say but was interruppted by a sharp nose that sounded as though something was shattered. London screamed, Rome jumped, I hid behind London. "I'll go see what that was." Before anyone could object I zipped down the hall. I passed a door but it was locked. There was a kitchen. It had a pantry at the far end (also locked) and some shelves that had some very well beyond expired food. There was a plate that had fallen off a dishrack. I grabbed a shard, careful not to harm myself, and started back towards the others. I reached the end of the hall and found something that almost tempted me to unsheath my katana and fillet someone: they were gone.

If those three thought it was funny to abandon me or hide outside and scare me someone was going to pay dearly: _with their head!_ I ran to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. Locked! Deciding I would try the bottom floor first I walked around. I went to the back first, there was a hallway that had a locked door. There was also a tatami room that featured many suits of armor. Inside a red box on the floor I found a note " fix the toilet, and the piano, place the first aid kit in the drawer on the second floor bedroom" It read. Helpful. I walked back into the foyer and over to the left-side hallway. There was a locked door. I didn't trust the cold breeze I felt from coming under the door and moved on. Nonplussed, I continued down the hall. I stopped short at what I saw. Some odd creature that was stark naked, a mottled (and quite ugly) gray color with a head at least three times the size of the body stood in the doorway at the end of the hall. It's back was turned to me but I didn't want to know what would happen if I made a sound. It walked in the door and shut it. I breathed a quick sigh of relief. _What in the hell was that? _I thought. I was tempted to walk up to the door, open it, and bust some heads. But the logical side of me won over and I went into the side door. It was an ordinary bathroom. The toiliet seemed fine, but I wasn't going to deny that something was off about it. There was a gold rimmed mirror caked in so much dust I could barely see myself and empty cabinets. I made a beeline for the stairs after that.

Once up I almost stepped on something. London's glasses were sitting at the top if the stairs. They weren't broken so I picked them up and pocketed them. There was only one door open on the whole floor. Behind a white curtain on the far left side of the room I heard someone jump when I opened the door. I could only see a pair of gorgeous black ankle boots and fairly tan ankles. I knew those feet. I opened the curtain. London cringed at the light. "Please don't eat me! I taste just as bad as my cooking!" she pleaded, shaking like a leaf.

"Rondini-chan, It's me" I said softly. Something had scared the crap out of her. Probably what I saw earlier.

"Don't try to fool me- wait. There's only one person who calls me Rondini-chan" she said opening her eyes and looking at me. Finally. "Tokyo! You're okay! Where's Rome?" She said in one breath.

"Yes. I'm okay. I wouldn't worry about Rome. I _know _she has her pot with her and anyone willing to mess with her, is gonna be sorry" I assured her. "By the way, I found these." I gave her her glasses.

"Thanks" she said, but she was still shaking.

"Do you want me to get you a drink? You look... shaken" I said. She nodded.

"Thanks. I would very much appreciate it." London replied. After I made certain she would be alright, (she was muttering something about a feeling of things having been consumed) I shut the door. I hoped I wouldn't run into that thing again. Despite that I had promised to find water for London, so I headed down the stairs.


	2. Chapter 2

**London I know you're gonna kill me. But I really don't care...**

I hurried down the stairs at a rather brick pace and went into the kitchen. I found something that could be used as a glass and walked over to the sink. I was greeted by and uncerimonius clunk as the old water pipes attempted to produce something that they probably haven't had for years. Maybe even centuries.

I walked to the next place I knew had water. The bathroom. After hesitating for about a half an hour I walked down the hall and into the bathroom. The sink in that bathroom wasn't working either. I was mulling over other sources of water I might find when something caught my eye. A beautiful sparkling white fountain of water. Better known as the toilet.

It had water in it. "Well... this _is_ water too..." I said. London would kill me if she found out but I figured what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. I filled the glass and headed back to London's room.

She was braiding her hair when I got back. "Here" I said handing her the toilet water. "It's not filtered though."

"At this point, I'll drink anything" she said and downed the water. It took all of my self control not to start laughing. I did giggle slightly though. Good thing she didn't notice.

"I'm so glad to hear those words London. You've really touched my heart" I said with mock tears.

She glared suspiciously at me. "What did I just drink?"

"Water" I said. "I'm not kiding you. That is definetly water." I giggled again.

"Thanks. Did you find Rome?" She asked, examining the cup for poison or something.

"No." I said.

"Well we should look for her together!" Said London "we can check the library on the first floor. I found this key" she produced a bronze key from her pocket.

"Kay" I replied still giggling about the toilet water. And London joined the party of two.

We walked down the satirs. I had my katana out, London was weilding a green stick with hearts on it. I did not it was a useful weapon but London insisted it was.

London unlocked the door. The second we entered I clapped both my hands over London's mouth. That _thing _was in here. It dissapeared behind a bookshelf and we breathed sighs of relief.

"London. If I take my hands off your mouth you won't scream will you? It is very, _very, _crutial that we proceed with caution form this point on" I whispered in her ear. She nodded and I relesed her. I was not going to attract attention to myself. We made it to a large table in the center. My face contorted with confusion when we saw a riceball sitting on the table. I picked it up. "Is this a onigiri? Why is there a-?"

_"Tokyo!" _London screeched. That thing was making a beeline for us at lightning speed.

"Shit!" I screamed. Just as that thing reached us, arms (stumps?) outstreached menacingly. I swung my katana. It made a hissing noise. I slashed and slashed at it in quick succesion.

_"Expecto patronum!" _London screched. Seriously London. Now was not the time to be quoting Harry Potter! But I jumped back in awe as a silver rush shaped like a crazy wild cat zipped past me and knocked the thing into a bookshelf. Which proceeded to knock all of the other bookshelves over. Huh, it was useful afterall. I made a mental note not to touch that stick. Not like I had wanted to in the past, unless I wanted to break it to mock her. But she had more so even if I did break it she would just get another one.

"Run like hell!" I shouted, London nodded and we ran for the door. It was blocked. "What the hell!" I screeched.

"There's a key over there!" London pointed. Wonderful. And to make it better the thing was getting up. London ran for the key and I distracted the monster. It was targeting London first, obviously angry.

"Hey you! Dumass bitch! Over here, fatass!" I said mocking it as I would America. It started toward me. "Ooooh, I'm so scared of the living bobblehead" I continued. London was almost there. He reached me. I took avantage of it being naked and struck him where the sun don't shine. It fell over on the floor howling in pain.

"I got the key!" London reached me shouting happily.

"Wonderful! I got some good news, Steve here won't be having kids. _Ever." _I came up with the name randomly but whatever. Steve sounded like a good name for a monster whose main hobby was waiting inside a creepy old house for children to enter. We ran out the door and slammed it behind us. "Lockitlockitlockitlockit!" London locked the door and we slumped to the ground in relief.

"What in bloody hell was that _thing?"_ London asked.

"Don't look at me. I'm not from it's home planet." I said earnestly. After that, we headed back up to the room where I found London to plot our next move.


	3. Chapter 3

**have a happy holidays everyone. **

"Can't think... need... food..." I complained to London who was looking pretty sorry for herself.

"Shut up! Don't you even mention food" She glared at me patting her rumbling stomach.

"Oh, I'll even eat something you cook so long as it wont poison me in the long run" I said to London. She punched me in the arm (which hurt about the equivalent of getting slapped by butterfly wings) and sighed. "Let's look in the kitchen. Maybe we'll find something." We went downstairs and into the kitchen. Lodnon tried to get the tap working but it still didn't produce any water. "Oh yeah and the tap's broken" I mentioned.

She glared at me. "No! Really?" She asked sarcastically. "Wait a minute. If the taps broken how did you get..." She trailed off. I smiled shyly. I was going to die. "Do I want to know?" She asked, eyes closed; angry brit levels rising.

"Lets look for for food. We'll get water later" I said. London rolled her eyes and started fingering the food on the shelf. "I wouldn't touch that food if I were you." She ignored me. "I wouldn't touch that food if I were you!" I said louder. Still ignoring me. "You can't eat them. They are super toasts!" I yelled.

"What!?" She asked what would have been menacingly but her doubling over laughing kind of ruined the effect.

"Nee, Rondini-chan... let's go look in the library" I said.

"Why?"

"I dunno, something tells me we should check it over once again." I argued. London sighed and I knew she was in. Weapons bared we headed inside. There was a key on the floor. I picked it up, there was a "4" engraved on the handle. "I'm guessing this opens the room on the fourth floor."

"No shit sherlock." said London. With nothing better to do, we walked all the way to the fourth floor.

"Oh no" I said.

"What" said London heaving herslef over the last step looking tired, but worried.

"There's two doors." She didn't hit me but she looked like she wanted first door didn't open but the other door opened. "OMG it's Busby's Chair!"

"You're right" said London. "Maybe we can get Steve to sit in it." I laughed. There was a curtain with nothing but a wooden box behind it. I kept the box. "hey, I hear something behind this bookshelf. Help me move it." Me and London moved the bookshelf and we found.  
"Amerimochi!" I fangirled eyeing the blue-eyed mochi with America's cowlick and glasses. "So kyoot!"

"Uh-huh. Lets try and get it out." We pulled and pulled then pulled some more. I even ran all the way downstairs and covered it in dishsoap then we continued to pull. It just would not come out. "Maybe Rome can move it?"

"We'll have to find her first" i reasoned. The two of us set out to look for her. London to the topmost floors and I got the bottom. I started trying to open any doors on the second floor. I got bored after the first one wouldn't open and did another once-over of the first floor. I went back up and tried to open the doors again.

The door on the far bottom left of the second floor did open and inside were two beds, a closet, and a small chestnut-haired girl crying softly to herself. She had a curl in her hair. An italian curl. Rome!

I walked over to her and tapped her on the shouler. I got a brief look of Rome's tear streaked face before something cold and hard nailed me in the side of the head and I was knocked unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

**A warning to the squeamish. There is some gore in this chapter. If you have a weak stomach or a fear of blood I advise skipping this chappie over. **

I woke up in the room I found London with a pounding sensation in my head. There was a cloth that had been hastily wrapped around my head. Rome was cut up pretty bad. Her lip was split and her arm was bent awkwardly. Her white shirt was stained with blood and she had blood trickling down from her hairline. Rome was kneeling next to London who looked like she was trying not to pass out. Her face was pale and she was biting down on a sponge as Rome attempted to make a tourniquet of her leg. I wish I hadn't looked.

It was covered in blood, and still bleeding, I saw some red bed sheets that Rome must have used to try to stop the blood flow. Her thigh had a deep gash in it and her lower calf was covered in smaller cuts. She had some black and blue marks on her face. Her face turned white as chalk as Rome finished the tourniquet. "Done" she said. London didn't say anything. She sunk to the floor and started crying softly. I felt so bad. What the hell could have happened in the maybe ten minutes I was out? Rome turned to me "Oh, you're awake. That's good." She ringed out a red cloth into a bucket that I hoped was full of paint or pasta sauce. Had she really lost _that_ much blood?

"What happened?" I asked.

"Not too long after I knocked you out I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I thought it was London but the thing burst into the room. I tried to fend it off. You were out cold and I wasn't going to let that thing hurt you when you couldn't fight back. It broke my arm and knocked my pot out of my hands. I thought I was dead for sure. I got slashed across my chest but It was only a flesh wound and didn't touch my heart. It would've killed me; but London stopped it. I think she stopped time for a few seconds. One minute I'm on my rump and trying to recall my will and the next minute she's in front of me and the thing is slumped over in the hallway" Rome explained. Then continued "the fight started to turn in our favor, but we got cocky. That thing got a lucky slice in London's leg and she went down. Then it was all me again. I'd hit the thing so many times my pot is now bent well out of shape" Rome picked up a circular object dripping red that may have once resembled a pot but now looked something like a large, metal fly swatter. "But it was too strong. I was running out of time. I saw your katana slung over your back so I kind of borrowed it. I only got one shot; but it was enough. I got lucky. I stabbed it and it disappeared. Your katana is a little dirty but it saved my sorry ass" Rome then pointed to an object in a red puddle that shined. I craned my neck (I was not moving; I hurt waaaaaaay too much) and saw my katana now drenched in a very deep red with no trace of the silvery color so that even the hilt was speckled. Lucky my ass...

"Wonderful." I said sarcastically. "Nee, Rondini-chan, do you feel okay?"

"...No..." She sobbed. I wanted to walk over to her but sitting was proving to be a challenge as is. I started to get up and my head started feeling light and I got dizzy. The room started spinning into stars.

"TOKYO!" I saw three Romes run up to me and it all went black again.

...

I woke up feeling a little bit better. London was asleep next to me and Rome was tending to a fire in the room. Wait, fire? There wasn't a fireplace before. We must have moved. Rome turned around. "Oh, you're awake again" she said.

"Where are we?" I asked. Sitting up, I got a little dizzy but I didn't pass out again. "We must have moved or I need some serious mental help because I didn't notice how the furniture was arranged in here before."

Rome laughed. "We'll all need some mental help after this" She said. "I'll keep watch just go back to sleep. You'll need rest if that thing shows up." Rome said. I was so tired from passing out and fighting and looking around that day I didn't argue and laid back down.

"Hey, Rome you'll need some rest too. Wake me if anything happens or if you get tired; all I'm nursing is a head bump" I said. Rome laughed again.

"I once fought for three days straight with an arrow in the back of my knee, a dislocated shoulder and an infected gash on the side of my neck. I'll survive just fine" she said.

"Okay, but-"

"Go to sleep, Tokyo. I promise I'll be fine" Rome said. Little did I know that she wouldn't be able to keep her promise.

**Okay well, that didn't take long and I think I'll turn in for the night. In the next chapter more of the gang arrives! Be expecting soon, I can't wait to write that! XD Plz, find it in your hearts to review. **


	5. Chapter 5

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOSCOW-CHAN! And in celebration of your birthday - I present you with the next chapter for this story!**

_Athens' P.O.V. _

"Wow. I can't believe it took us this long to find this place" Berlin said eyeing the mansion, hands on her hips, like it would be something interesting. Her eyes shifted from sky blue to a light Peridot green, tinted with silver.

"Yeah. Well, we came all this way. We should go inside and look around, da?" Moscow said. She smiled warmly. Unlike her country counterpart, most capitols and countries alike loved being around her. She could have an evil aura. But only when you made her mad. She ran a hand through her long, dark hair, lined with blue highlights.

"Are we going in or what!?" D.C. whined already pushing for the door. I sighed. It could've been worse. At least we didn't have to contend with Sparta, Thebes or any of the other city-states. But still, I was getting a bad feeling from the house.

"You guys... this place is, like, creeping me out" Warsaw said. She started shrinking away. Moscow clapped an arm around her.

"Don't be scared. We'll all go in together, da!" She said, all smiles. We walked inside.

"This place is clean. Too clean..." D.C. said suspiciously eyeing the area.

"And quiet. Didn't Tokyo, Rome, and London come here before us" I said.

"Too quiet... - Ow! Hey, Berlin that hurts!"

"Then stop your acting like this is a horror movie. This isn't scary at all!" Berlin said. She sounded angry but was smiling with pleasure. Oh, gods...

"Let's split up and explore!" Moscow said. "D.C and I will take this floor. Athens you go with Berlin and Warsaw and explore the second floor. We'll meet back here in a half an hour, da?"

"Sounds fine to me" I said and started up the stairs with Warsaw and Berlin. Most of the doors were locked so we didn't really get to explore. One of the door had a funny smell coming from it so we left it alone. Basically all we did was waste a good ten minutes.

"What a buzz kill!" Berlin raged. "I'm gonna explore the next floor. You guys wanna come?"

"Nah. I'm good, I wanna see what's with that room that smelled strange earlier" I said. I was too curious. "Warsaw?"

"I'll stay here and wait for you" She said.

"kay then. See you guys when I see you" Berlin said and she walked up the stairs. I made sure Warsaw would be okay waiting for me by the stairs and walked over to the room with the bad smell. I opened the door and nearly fainted. The beds had been stripped and now the sheets sat scattered on the floor soaked in blood. There was a small bowl that was also filled with blood and the floor was also stained red. I screamed. Warsaw came running and caught me right before I fainted.

"Are you okay- OMG WHAT HAPPENED IN HERE!?" She said, nearly dropping me on the floor.

"I don't know but let's find the others. I don't like it here. This looks like a murder was committed here. And recently! That blood isn't dried to the floor!" We ran up to the third floor and- thank the gods- found Berlin right away. She must have heard me scream.

"Are you okay I heard screams! Did you find something scary?" She looked hopeful. I described the scene and her hopeful glance slowly turned pale and scared. "We have to go get-" She was interrupted by the sound of a pistol. D.C.'s pistol. Her and Moscow were in trouble! We all ran downstairs at lightning speed.

"Oh, gods!" I screeched. D.C. was slumped against the wall with blood trickling from her skull onto her face, her large blue eyes were wide open and her pistol was gripped in her hands, her fingers were curled over the trigger. "D.C., Can you hear me?" I ran over to her and checked her pulse. Thank the gods, her heart was still beating. But she wasn't moving. I slapped her. "Wake up!" She blinked.

"Where is- Ow, my head, Oh, no Moscow! Athens, where's Moscow!?" D.C. screeched. She looked mortified.

"Washington, what happened?" I asked, I was trying to keep calm.

"I'll tell ya later! We need to save Moscow!" Just then there was a large crash from the kitchen.

"Moscow!" We all screeched in unison. We made a beeline for the kitchen. Moscow was slumped over. She was bleeding from her mouth and had one hand pressed against her chest. I could see her gray coat start to turn a dark red.

"Dammit..." she said "Well you're a toughie, aren't you. Hurt me all you want, but I'll still kill you. I can be a glutton for punishment" She said and started walking toward something that looked like Tony but with a bigger head. Not Tony. It had hurt D.C. Tony would never hurt D.C. She ran forward and slashed at it with and iron pipe (seriously can Russia and her just summon those anytime they feel like it?) it recoiled. Then it hissed at her. I drew the sword slung over my back. We were gonna have to fight.

We didn't get that far. Berlin pulled the whip off her hip and stated lashing at it. D.C fired at it's head but the bullets seemed to have no effect. They just bounced off. Warsaw didn't have a weapon, so she took the spray thingie from the sink and attempted to hit it with water. maybe blind it for a minute. "The tap's not working! You gotta be flipping kidding me!" She said. The thing grabbed Berlin's whip, pulled her close and slashed her. She collapsed on the ground, howling with pain. Me and Moscow rushed it at the same time and it sent us flying into Warsaw. We were gonna die.

"Well, it's been nice knowing you all. Sparta, wherever you are, I love you!" I said. I closed my eyes.

"TELEPORT NO JUTSU!" I opened one eye and Tokyo had materialized out of freaking no where. She was wielding her katana, and she looked _pissed. _"No one hurts my friends. No one. You'll have to be punished" Her face lit with an insane smile. "Blade of Wrath!" She charged the thing (did it look scared? Of _Tokyo_!?) She sliced it with movements so fast even I couldn't keep track. The thing vanished. Tokyo sighed. "I hope you're all okay." The insanity vanished from her face and it was replaced with worry. "I know you all will probably want an explanation. Come with me, I know of a safe room. Berlin, can you stand?" She slung Berlin over her shoulder and motioned for us to follow her.

**Well that's it for this chapter. Did you like your present Moscow-chan? Review, plz. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Well, I do believe that if I don't post this you'll all come after me with pitchforks and torches. Forcing me to write, as I hold out for someone... anyone... to come and save me. But here it is so I don't have to worry about it! XD**

_Tokyo's P.O.V._

We brought Athens, D.C. Moscow, Warsaw, and Berlin back to the safe room. London was coaxing a fire out of some dry wood and a lighter we found with very little lighter fluid as Rome was conked out on the bed. She had to be exhausted. We all sat around the table. Or on it since there was maybe four chairs and the injured was sitting in them. Athens and Warsaw seemed to be able to stay standing. D.C. thought she could then nearly passed out again from blood loss.

"Okay. So you're probably all wondering about Steve-" I started.

"Who's Steve?" D.C. asked.

"Thegrayalienthingywiththebig head!" I said very fast; I'm almost sure it made no sense. "So yeah. He want's to kill us. And we're trapped here... and we have to escape... but, he don't want us to escape... so we should... kill him? I don't know" As you can see, I'm good at debriefing people. They stared at me blankly.

"That's it?" Berlin asked.

"Yep" I said. Gee, you'd think this would have more of a plot to it by now but I guess not.

"Hey Tokyo. I'm going to burn this box I found in Rome's pack, okay?" London asked.

"It's fine by me, but shouldn't you ask Rome if you can burn it?" I asked.

"Rome, if I can burn this box say nothing" London said.

"My tomates Roma... my tomates..." Rome whispered followed by something that sounded like italian swear words.

"Put the box down, London" I said. London placed it on the table. She looked disappointed.

"Now what should be our next move?" I asked. It was a serious question but like everyone else in the room the loud (and annoying) ticking noise was bothering me.

"Can I break this?" Moscow asked. She had a small clock in her hands. It was shaped like a heart with the outer layer set in gold. It had tiny clear places all over it. The spots glowed softly with their own light and were soft and warm, like glass left in the sun. The hands were moving all crazy-like.

"No. Because if I know my anime logic that clock will play an important part in the plot later on! And trust me, I know my anime logic. I invented it!" I said. Hands on my hips; feeling proud of myself. Foreshadowing, much?

"Fine then make it stop ticking" She gave it to me. I felt time slow around me once it was in my hands. Then it stopped. I was the only one moving. No, wait; there was figure in the corner. A silhouette... but of who? I didn't get the chance to figure it out. A voice was calling me, I recognized it faintly. London... yes, that's it; London was calling me. But she wasn't moving here. The silhouette glanced up and I caught a glimpse of her eyes. Light green... a light Peridot green. I knew those eyes. I saw them whenever I looked in a mirror. After all, they did belong to me. But I was here. The silhouette couldn't be me.

"TOKYO!" I opened my eyes. When did I get on the floor? London was shaking me awake.

"London..." I said sleepily. Had it been a dream?

"You're okay?" She asked. I had a crowd around me. Even Rome had woken up.

"I'm a little tired but I'm alright" I said. I got to my feet.

"I knew I should have broken that clock..." Moscow whispered. I clutched it tighter. Why was I feeling so protective over a clock? Rome was wide awake and all but forced me to take a nap. I laid down in the bed. I didn't want to, but I took another look at the clock. Now it displayed the correct time, and moved normally, like it should. The glassy places were now filled with a red liquid and glowed brighter. _Was that blood? _I thought horrified. But that wasn't the scary part. The scary part was; that the clock didn't tick but now made a soft beating sound and the light pulsated in time with my heart beats.

**There we go. Nice and eventful. Kinda long too... In case you've noticed the clocks will play a different role in the story. originally I was going to cut them all together but this idea morphed it's way into my mind while writing this. I might get another chapter out today. I really want to incorporate some of the things I thought about for when they split. Any ideas about the silhouette Tokyo saw? Review or even if I do finish the next chapter today I won't post it! ;p Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Fight scene. Gory. If squeamish skip until you see the next group's title appear. Or until you see another bold notice. There will be a notice for when to skip. In my opinion it's actually not too graphic. But I put a warning here anyway. **

_Tokyo's P.O.V._

It didn't take me long to wake up. By the time I had actually fallen asleep I maybe got in a half an hour. The room was dark and cold. Everyone was silent. Was I dreaming again? Then I heard it: footsteps. Getting closer.

I got up throwing the bed sheet across the floor only to grab it almost instantly. By god it was freezing! I could see my breath! London motioned for me to be quiet. The footsteps stopped. Then there was breathing. Would he find us?

"Guys..." I whispered. I took a quick look around; most of us looked lethal and ready. Except Rome, which is ironic. She was curiously staring into the fire. I saw the form of a box and realized that she must have decided to burn it after all. She was poking around the ashes. I saw her eyes light up and she pulled out a key that was red hot. No, I'm serious it was glowing red and Rome dropped it onto the floor and shoved her hand in her mouth. Then realizing she put a hot, very hot, surface on a dry and flammable wood floor she took her water bottle and dumped it on the key. It wasn't red now but it was still steaming and was burned black. "Okay guys, here's the plan. London and Warsaw go looking for more clocks on another floor. Rome, take D.C and Athens and find out where that key goes. Berlin and Moscow let's end this thing once and for all." I was surprised to hear my voice was calm, steady and cold as steel.

"What do I do if that thing shows up?" Warsaw asked. She looked scared. I didn't blame her.

"Be. The. Piano." I said seriously. She looked at me like she was waiting for me to laugh and say it was a joke but she was gonna wait a long time for that. As in, until the end of time. Which could be very soon for us.

Steve burst through the door. He did not look pleased with us. How unlucky for him that we were ready and Moscow, berlin and I sprang into action the second he burst through the door. I saw the other file out into their respective groups. Berlin was whaling on Steve with her whip. Moscow had a new shiny pipe in her hand (seriously, where does she keep getting these pipes?!) and was handling it nicely. I was surprised when she broke it in half.

**Squeamish ppl can skip now.**

She bashed it against Steve's head with a sickening thud. "That was for humiliating me" she said. But I could tell she wasn't done. She finished much later after beating him for many other things. To name a few: humiliating her friends, hurting people, having a big head, making us think he was Tony, not wearing clothes, and a bunch of other stuff. Moscow was panting and holding what was left of the other half of the pipe. Tony had shards of the metal piercing his skin all over and he was bleeding heavily. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "You guys can finish him off..." She panted and sunk to the floor. She wasn't hurt; just tired.

Me and Berlin took over from there. It didn't take all that long to make him disappear. It actually barely took any effort at all. "Well, that was easy" I said. It was. So why did I still feel like the real battle was far from over?

**With London and Warsaw. Squeamish people can come back there's no more gore. Actually there wasn't all that much just a not-so-lovely image. **

"Hmmm... I can't find a clock here... Warsaw help me" London said shuffling through draws and bookshelves in the piano room. She hadn't found a clock but she had found some sheet music for a couple of her favorite songs. Warsaw was playing around with the piano. "Warsaw...!?" London gasped when she noticed that Warsaw was pressing keys on the piano but no sound came out. Every so often she would hit a note and it would turn red and make a noise. More often than not she got nothing. The keys had numbers on them in different colors and looked like they had been drawn on in crayon. "Wha- what in bloody hell is this!?" She was starting to see what Tokyo meant about the whole 'life is but a story written by drunken monkeys' thing. It sure seemed that way as of late.

"I think there was a library on this floor across the hall. Maybe you can find something in there. I'll see what I can do here and maybe I'll find the clock" Warsaw said. She stood from the piano feeling like she was running out of what was keeping her going. She had been running on adrenaline for a long time, it was starting to wear off. "You know. If there's even a clock in here." London nodded and walked toward the door.

"If anything happens: yell. I'll come running I promise" London said and headed out the door. Warsaw leafed through the sheet music London had set out. _Anti-The Holic? Tokyo might like this too... _Warsaw thought. She heard the door open and close. "London? Did you find anything?" Silence. "London?" More silence. Warsaw turned around and drew her breath in sharply. It was Steve.

He wasn't really paying attention to her, thank god. But it might not stay that way for long. _Should I call for help? _Warsaw thought. Steve still hadn't noticed her she had time. She just wasn't sure how much. Then she remembered Tokyo saying something about being the piano. Which was silent even when she tried to play it.

Hello.

_Iamthepiano!Iamthepiano!Iamthepiano! _Warsaw thought furiously. It was working! Steve turned around! _Iamthepiano!Iamthepiano!Iamthepiano!IAMTHEPIANO! _He walked out of the room. Warsaw did what any sane person would do: she danced.

When the real London walked in five minutes later Warsaw was still dancing. Doing the Harlem Shake to be exact. What? "The hell...?" London asked. But Warsaw was to busy dancing over her victory to be concerned with London at that moment.

**And finally Rome, Athens, and DC. **

_Athens' P.O.V._

I was holding the key since Rome was too busy nursing her third degree burn from reaching her hand into a fire to hold it. Who did that? Seriously? Apparently Rome, but she had gotten the key before it melted and became unusable so that was something. We had tried every other floor but the first. I'll make this quick.

Was it the pantry key? No. Was it the key to the door all the way to the left? Also no. Was it the key to any door anywhere? Not likely. The three of us were sitting in the tatami room by the suits of armor hoping to not cry. This key might just be the red herring of this story. But D.C. had other thoughts.

"Is that a door?" She said pointing. Sure enough, there was another door on the far side of the hallway. We exchanged glances.

"It can't hurt to try..." I reasoned. I put the key in the lock and turned it. I wasn't expecting anything - Holy crap it opened! Hallelujah! We walked inside. Two more tatami rooms and a door. That was locked of course. We were feeling really happy. Then Steve crashed the party. He came out of the closet (joke not intended) and ran for us. We screamed like mortals and ran for our lives. He for some reason couldn't come in the bathroom. Too bad that couldn't be our safe room but at least you knew that Steve wasn't going to rain on your parade while your doing your business. After that Scary endeavor we scurried back to the tatami room and opened the other closet. We found a letter. Well half a letter.

..._it seems. The keys on the piano hold the code to unlock the safe in the pantry. But no one will find out the code, I'm sure. In case I forget though the code should be easy to figure out if you use the keys on the different songs in alphabetical order. The first and last key are consecutive; and the songs are in alphabetical order. I won't tell what two songs are the code. In case anyone finds this. _

"Well that was helpful" D.C. said bitterly.

"Yeah. But it's something. Let's go find the others..." I said and we went back upstairs.

**Okay that's it. I'm done. Longest chapter so far for you there. Enjoy it. Review please? *Tama-chan puppy eyes***


	8. Chapter 8

**I wanted to have this up in time for Warsaw's B-day, but I didn't. -.- Happy Belated Birthday Weesnaw!**

**Also, I'd like you all to meet the new Co-Authoress of this story: D.C. -chan! (Americat01)**

**D.C if you'd please-**

_**YODO Livin' liek lerry, you called... Oh Hyiii**_

**So yeah, bold and italic is D.C's part in the author's notes. Now before any of you get pissed on why I asked D.C. it's beacuse she understands how I write this and also, she can find my mistakes easier than I can. -.-**

_**CUZ I WATCH HER TYPE!**_

**Also, I can get this done faster with her help. Please don't kill either of us! I'll still be doing most of the writing she's helping with ideas, development, and memory (since mine is shit). Now enjoy the damn chapter! D.C. anyhting to add?**

_**MISTAKE!**_

**What? Oh. *anything **

_Athens' P.O.V._

We all gathered back in the piano room. Once we found that letter Tokyo practically ripped the cabinet to pieces. Or at least its contents. All of the pieces were scattered and we weren't quite sure which paper's notes belonged to which song. With some pointed glares at Tokyo, to which she responded by pulling her katana and reciting her rights. I gotta say it was a lot less convincing at sword point but I learned a long time ago that arguing with Toyko was futile.

Rome and Warsaw played the piano as the rest of us tried to match the notes. BY then end of an hour we had pieced together Anti-the Holic, Rainy Day Man, The Pokémon Theme, Marukaite Chikyuu (of course), and American Idiot. D.C. had practically done the last by herself and then she and Tokyo jumped atop the piano and sang a duet.

"Will you two please..." I was cut off by their singing, of which I won't spare gruesome details.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" London screeched. The entire room fell silent. "listen," she said. And we did, though I wish we didn't hear it.

Heavy-set footsteps echoed in the hall, getting louder. Closer. Shit.

"Someone barricade the door!" Rome shouted. Then she pulled her pot. "I'll hold it off!" She burst through the door.

"Rome you idiot!" I screeched, jumping outside just as the door slammed shut with finality. I heard banging and yelling from the other side. Tokyo's voice broke through.

"It's not opening!" She screamed desperately. But Rome and I had bigger problems.

Steve came bashing down the hall, it's eyes fixed on the two of us hungrily. I saw one bead of nervous sweat roll down Rome's face. For the umpteenth time since entering I felt this unnecessary sense of dread, as if Death himself was looming over me and waiting for my soul to sever from my body.

I pulled my sword. Which, by the way, was celestial bronze. It had a hilt that fit my grip from all it's years in use. An owl, a symbol of Athena, engraved at the base of the blade. Usually monsters of any kind dissolved with enough hits from this thing. Hopefully, that held true for whatever Steve was. It was my baby. And my baby hadn't failed me yet.

Together Rome and I rushed Steve. Mild alarm flashed through its features (which was not a pretty sight), and I fought the urge to gag. Blindly, as Sparta had chided me for many times, I slashed hoping my sword would hit it's mark. Usually it did. I felt a collision and smiled victoriously.

Then I was weightless. Something lifted me from the ground as though I was a feather. I opened my eyes and met Steve's.

_"Athens!" _Rome screeched, I didn't even get to scream before I was thrown across the room where I collided with the barred window and slunk to the ground. Then I realized something.

Steve still had my sword. _My baby! _He had my baby. Nobody touched my baby. _Nobody. _

I got up forgetting about the pain spreading through my body. Rome stood frozen in shock. I ran past her at full speed, shaking her out of her stupor.

I almost gave him (I'm not even going to try to act like I know Steve's gender anymore) an uppercut, Rome rushed past and beat the living daylights out of Steve with her bent-out-of-shape-pot.

My baby fell to the ground. I scooped it up in my arms. "It's okay, it's okay. Mommy's got you now. Mommy won't let anyone hurt you again," I cooed. And yes, I do know how pathetic that was. Rome gave me a look like she was questioning my sanity.

We beat Steve after that. Not even caring about anything anymore. He kept getting back up though.

Rome and I reached our limit after a while. Steve still looked good to go. If I had a drachma for every time this happened...

"One last hoorah?" I asked her.

"You know it," we grabbed hands and rushed Steve again. Both our weapons glowed blue. I could just imagine Tokyo going on about the reference this created. It was some anime about a cat girl who fights aliens or something.

"ANCIENT FURY!" I have absolutely no idea why Rome and I said that at the same exact moment but we did it anyway. Steve erupted into a starburst of blue and gold. Then Rome and I danced. We heard a door unlocking and the other capitals burst out the door.

"Are you guys okay?"

"What happened?"

"TOKYO MEW MEW!"

As most people would probably guess, the last one was Tokyo.

"While you guys were doing that, we finished sorting out the music. Though we still have no freaking clue how to solve the puzzle," D.C. admitted. I wasn't sure if she looked pissed or disappointed that she hadn't gotten to join the fight.

"Athens and I have a joined attack now!" Rome exclaimed. Tokyo went of on a tiff about this but I just ignored her and walked back into the piano room.

Once we were all back into the room we started discussing the puzzle and how the hell we were going to solve it. Moscow suggested just destroying the piano.

"So if we put the songs in alphabetical order its: American Idiot, Anti-the Holic, Marukaite Chikyuu, The Pokémon theme, and then Rainy Day Man," London said matter-of-factly.

My eyes flitted to Tokyo who was searching the draw where she flung all of the music sheets violently onto the floor. "Tokyo what are you doing?" I asked.

She ignored me. "London you and Warsaw checked this room entirely, right?" She asked.

"Yeah," London said unsurely.

"And you said there wasn't a clock in here?"

"Yeah. We couldn't find one."

"Well, you guys suck at searching," She produced another heart-shaped clock from the drawer. It was a beautiful navy blue, with silver hands and more clear diamonds. "It's just like mine."

We passed the clock around. It was cold and burned like dry ice when I touched it. The second it brushed D.C.'s hands her eyes went wide and she sunk to the floor. We tried to break her grip on the damn clock but she wouldn't let go. Then London screamed.

I looked at the clock in her hands, D.C.'s wrist had gone slack and pale. The clear, white diamonds turned a dark red. The hands stopped moving for a second and D.C.'s breath caught, we thought she had died. Then it started moving and her breathing returned. Then suddenly.

"AAAUGH!" She bolted upright knocking her head against the piano. "Ow, dammit. Where did she go!?" D.C. demanded.

"Where did who go? We're all right here," I offered.

"This shadowy bitch who stole my look! She my eye color, my jacket, who's to say she isn't going to steal my car next?!" D.C. complained.

"You don't have a car. You only know how to hotwire America's, plus you're fifteen. Don't you need to be sixteen to get a license in America?" London said.

"Seventeen..." D.C. grumbled.

"What happened?" Tokyo asked.

"Did I not just explain that?" D.C. retorted. Then she sighed. "Okay, so there was this shadowy bit-"

"Yeah, we know that part. What else happened?" I said. Can you blame me for losing my patience?

"Well time froze except for me and-"

"The shadowy bitch, right?" I said.

"WILL YOU LET ME TELL THE GODDAMN STORY!?" D.C. retorted angrily.

"Sor-ry," I apologized sarcastically.

D.C. gave me the finger. It was wasted on me though. I knew it was a rude gesture, but it didn't mean squat to me.

"So about this puzzle... I think I get it," now Warsaw was interrupting and D.C. simply turned away with her nose in the air. When her eyes fell on her clock, she looked almost melancholy.

Warsaw demonstrated how when she played the piano after a while a key a would glow red and play a different sound than the normal key. "So, some of the keys are out of place and glow," I noted.

"Maybe this is like on of those things where you have to press the red keys in the right order," Tokyo suggested.

"Like that weird-ass game called 'Memory', which I suck at," said D.C.

"No one cares," I said.

"I hate you all," D.C. muttered darkly. It reminded me a bit of Darth Vader.

"It's okay, D.C.-chan," Tokyo glomped D.C. We all paid more attention to the piano and D.C. could be heard wailing something like "IT BUUUURNNS! IT BUUUURNNS! GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!" Though I didn't really care.

Warsaw played a few things on the piano. None of them turned out to be the correct pass code though. It got to be late and we were all tired so we fell asleep, leaving Tokyo in charge.

**So yep. Another filler. It had to happen. I got lazy or it would have been better. **

_**YAY I GET SPOTLIGHT but,,,,, GET THE FROOK OFF OF ME! NOW **_

**Nope. Review please. =D**

_**HOW ARE WE STILL TYPING IF YOU'RE GLOMPING ME?**_

**Anime logic. **


	9. HIATUS, please read, don't ignore please

**My computer is totally broken and I am currently unable to work on any projects right now. So all of my stories are pretty much going on hiatus until I get a new battery for my computer until then, and so you guys know I am alive, I may put up the occasional one-shot and an update here and there. I can only work when I get my parents' computer so I can't really do any new chappies right now. My DSI is the only thing allowing me any contact as it lets me respond to messages on here, thank the gods, but I can't write on it unfortunately and finishing something in a notebook doesn't make the story update. It just gives me less work for when I can type. One-shots are about all I'll be good for, for a while anyway. I'm almost done with the newest Chapter for Apprentice so that will likely be my last update for a while... if I can even get it up. As of now, it's broken and I'll never get to work on anything. I'll go (more) crazy thinking of late updates! So when I do get the computer I'll probably be writing one-shots. Or if I feel like it, working on chapter updates. All I'm saying is it's going to be a while before I can update on a regular schedule again. Sorry for any and all inconvenience and thank you to the kind understanding souls I'm going to assume all of you are, as I don't know all of you in person and while I would like to I can't and would hate to make someone out for what they are not. (some friends of mine prefer being evil so I don't want to offend anyone)**

**Mei, April, Star, and Blair are my OC's, everyone else I do not own. I disclaim them, take no credit whatsoever. They are not mine. Also, this authors note has been posted on all of my stories currently in progress. And that is why there are descriptions. Which means, even if I have not updated in a long while I fully plan on writing more. This statement does not apply to all but it does to some.**

**Kisshu and Ichigo are from Tokyo Mew Mew, Jareth and Sarah are from the movie Labyrinth, Silver and Blaze are from Sonic the Hedgehog, Ib is from... Ib, Viola and Ellen are from The Witch's House, Lum and Ataru are from Urusei Yatsura. No characters from the capital's stories are here but that should be apparent why by the end. I think I hit everybunny, I'm okay now. **

**April - 12-year-old (or quite possibly 13; I can't remember which is sad) cyniclon with jet black hair cut to a quarter of her back with strands tied in front of her ears (like her brother's) and gold eyes. Kisshu's little sister. **

**Mei - Shoulder length milk chocolate-colored hair, electric blue eyes. Medium build. 15 years old. **

**Star - 13-year-old. Pale skinned with light blue eyes and almost white, blonde-hair. A powder blue tatoo of a star is on her right cheek. Blair's younger sister. **

**Blair - 17-year-old tan skinned with ebony-black hair and incredibly dark, almost black but not quite, brown eyes. Star's older sister. **

The door burst open and, suddenly, they were standing in a overly strange and kind of out-of-place room.

With white-washed walls decorated with posters and drawings, plushies and books littering the floor and a window with the curtains drawn shut it looked very much like it would soon be hosting someone but was currently abandoned.

In a chair behind a desk with a computer on it sat a small girl who could have been no older than fifteen at the least, with long dirty-blonde curls hastily tucked into a ponytail and light peridot green eyes bordering on crazy and intelligent. She had her nose stuck in a book. She wore a red T-shirt with faded white lettering on it and a pair of navy capris'.

When she heard the door close she stuck a piece of paper in it and shut it. Without even looking up she smiled warmly, as though she had been expecting these people.

What people? You may be asking. Why Ib, Viola (in Ellen's body), Sarah and Jareth, Mei, Ichigo, Kisshu, and April, Lum, Ataru, Silver and Blaze, and, of course, Star and Blair stood in the room. The strange girl peered up at them she smiled but they all had grim faces.

"We've got a bone to pick with you," Blair started through gritted teeth.

"Hiya guys!" The girl said happily, as if she hadn't heard Blair. At all.

"What's all this nonsense about our stories going on hiatus?" Ichigo asked, shaking her fist in the air angrily.

"Oh, that," the smile dropped from her face and her eyes darted to the desktop computer. "This stupid thing won't turn on. But when it does it isn't long until it re-starts or shuts back off."

"So we're all here because your computer doesn't want to turn on," Silver said dryly.

The girl smiled shyly. "Yep. It's not that the poor baby doesn't want to. It can't. The battery's gone dry and it needs a new one."

"So give it a new one, already! I've been kidnapped for how long now and I'm still unconscious?" Mei said angrily, her bottom lip jutted out though a slight smile played at her lips.

"I can't," she said lamely.

"Why?" Mei whined.

"Because, a) I have no idea what battery I need, b) I have to take it apart to find out, c) I don't want someone to wipe all of my data off of it when the battery is the problem and not the hard drive, and d) it's gonna be expensive and I don't have the money yet," She explained.

"Well at least tell us who you are," Kisshu asked.

"Me? I'm the authoress of your stories. You may call me Tokyo," said the girl.

"Um...okay? So how long until you can update again?" Ichigo asked.

"Uh... not sure," Tokyo admitted, she scratched her head trying to think. All of their faces fell.

"Wait just a damn second! How the heck are you writing this if you computer won't turn on!?" Mei demanded. Several of the characters nodded in agreement.

"It's elementary, my dear. You see, I borrowed my parents computer to write this so I could inform all of the followers what was going on rather than make them wait the amount of time it might take to fix this. Plus, I have quite a bit of summer homework and not a lot of time to write anyway. So it's going to be very hard for me to update and I have decided to try and fix and finish what's almost done and/or hasn't been published yet. Combine that with I never know when I'll get on a working computer and I don't know for how long and you have my reasoning for not being able to update," Tokyo stated matter-of-fact.

"Oh," the characters said in unison.

"Plus, if I don't get it before summer ends I'll end up piled in so much work from honors classes that I'll never get anything up," Tokyo was the one whining now.

"Awww..." They whined in protest.

"Oh, shut up. I will be trying to update it's just not going to happen on a regular schedule or very often until I get everything sorted out," Tokyo sighed. "I'm sorry everybody. I really am as I love, love, LOVE, to write. But as it stands I cannot write now so I will have to put all of my stories on hiatus and give you all my most sincere and formal apologies. I will not be disappearing and I'll be updating from time to time. But I will probably be putting up a lot of new stories that aren't really new as I've had them for a long time, just never finished or edited them. Since I can't really work on anything I will be using whatever time I get to ease my guilt and finish or re-write or edit them. On the list of stories to re-write is actually A Fairytale Waiting to Happen." At this point Sarah and Jareth's jaws dropped to the floor. "Not sure how far I'll get with that though... or if I'll even go through with it. I'll admit that I am also a procrastinator and can be pretty damn lazy but I get busy too. So I really hope," Tokyo bowed her head and quickly got back up. "That all of you can be patient and forgive me. I would also like to apologize from the deepest part of my heart for any of you who got your hopes up when you saw an update and found this. Thank you all for dealing with me and for even reading this. Also, I am very, very sorry."


End file.
